Glass shatters United's dreams

13 April 2012

Midfielder Stephen Glass put the brakes on runaway Premiership leaders Manchester United with a late equaliser to hand Newcastle a precious draw.

Glass came off the bench to level with a close-range 81st-minute shot just as it looked as though David Beckham's first-half penalty had won it for United.

But Newcastle refused to accept defeat and manager Bobby Robson's gamble of a triple substitution to send on Glass, Lomana Lua Lua and Daniel Cordone with 15 minutes remaining paid off in style.

United undoubtedly had the greater cutting edge for much of the game, but the Tynesiders battled manfully against the odds and in the end, were well worth their point.

Sir Alex Ferguson threw striker Dwight Yorke straight back into the fray after he completed a three-match ban, pairing him in attack with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who went into the game with three goals to his name in his last two appearances.

Paul Scholes was named among the substitutes as a result, while at the back, Denis Irwin's ankle injury kept him out and Phil Neville won a recall.

Newcastle lost Spanish defender Marcelino when he failed a late fitness test on a groin injury, and Robson was forced to name Alain Goma in the starting line-up despite the fact that he had not played since injuring a calf muscle in the 1-1 draw at Aston Villa on December 2.

The home side went into the game knowing that they faced an uphill task to get out of it with anything to show for their efforts, but they showed from the off that they were no going to let the runaway Premiership leaders have it all their own way.

But United have not enjoyed the remarkable success they have for nothing, and while they held sway for long periods, there was always a suspicion that they could raise it another gear if they needed to.

Clarence Acuna had already had to block a Ryan Giggs effort when keeper Steve Harper flew from his line to save Yorke's shot from Giggs' through-ball.

But the breakthrough finally came on 24 minutes when Giggs was felled by Andy Griffin inside the penalty area, and after several seconds of deliberation, referee Mike Riley pointed to the spot.

The home fans were furious, but Beckham took no notice as he blasted the spot-kick into the roof of the net with Harper flinging himself to his right.

The visitors threatened to kill the game off with Newcastle struggling to regroup, but to their credit, the home side rallied late in the half and created a series of chances.

Christian Bassedas played Nolberto Solano into space on 38 minutes, and only a touch from Fabien Barthez prevented the ball reaching the massed black and white shirts at the far post, Gary Neville blocking Kieron Dyer's follow-up.

Dyer tested the Frenchman with a well-struck effort from a narrow angle three minutes later, but it was Solano who had the best chance to equalise in injury time after beating the offside trap to collect Bassedas' pass, only to get his attempted lob over the advancing keeper all wrong.

The pattern of the first-half was repeated in the second as Newcastle threw men forward and defended manfully at the back, while United were content to rely on a swift counter-attacking ploy.

But while the home side perhaps enjoyed the greater possession, they understandably lacked a little composure in front of goal and it was the pacy men in red who looked the more likely to add to their tally.

Solskjaer was thwarted by both Harper and Griffin within seconds after Nicky Butt had found space in the box on 63 minutes, and Warren Barton had to produce a superb challenge to block Yorke's shot two minutes later.

Solano curled a free-kick just over on 68 minutes after Butt had brought Bassedas down, but Robson's side needed something different and the manager threw caution to the wind with 15 minutes remaining when he replaced Acuna, Bassedas and Ameobi with Glass, Cordone and Lua Lua.

Glass almost had an immediate impact when Wes Brown was forced to head his cross over his own bar, but the resulting corner was wasted.

However, the Scot threw the game back into the melting pot with nine minutes remaining when Dyer fed Cordone down the right and he crossed into the middle where Lua Lua miskicked.

But Glass kept his cool to slam home the loose ball to level it and set up a grandstand finish.

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